APRC 2016 India Rally: Gaurav Gill wins at Chikmagalur
Gaurav Gill's 2016 APRC season has been his best championship season yet. The Team MRF Skoda driver, who already sealed his second Asia Pacific Rally Championship title at the previous rally at Johor Bahru, Malaysia, has now completed a clean sweep, winning all six rallies held this season - New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and Malaysia. Gill has reportedly become the first individual to win all races in an FIA championship en route the title.
At the Coffee Day India Rally, Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall had a lead of 39min 37.9sec, over second placed Michael Young (navigated by Malcolm Read). Finishing third in the APRC category of the event was Young's Cusco Subaru team-mate Sanjay Takale (co-driven by Noriko Takeshita).
"This was the most important rally of the season, and I would say of my whole career," Gill said. "The stages were challenging, I've never had sore hands at any other event," he laughed speaking of the number of corners, and gear shifts that the stages at Chikmagalur entailed.
While Gill's team-mate Fabian Kreim (co-driven by Frank Christian) crashed out of the event on Sunday. He managed to restart the rally this morning, and gave it his all.
Meanwhile, things changed in the Indian National Rally Championship. Team Mahindra Adventure's Amittrajit Ghosh, who held the overnight lead in the category, only needed to finish the event second in order to seal the championship. However, a broken driveshaft meant that he wasn't able to complete the rally, thus ending his hopes of a championship. It was Team Yokohama's Karna Kadur (navigated by Nikhil Pai) who won the INRC overall at Chikmagalur. Finishing second at the event was Dr Bikku Babu (co-driven by Milen George). Team Yokohama's Rahul Kantharaj (navigated by Vivek Bhatt) finished third.
This means that Kadur now has a strong chance of sealing the INRC title at the K1000 later this month, with only Bikku Babu as his serious competition.
Kadur also won the INRC 2000 category, while Takale won the IRC class. Victory in the FMSCI Cup went to Jacob KJ and Manoj Mohanan, that ensured they sealed the title with a round to spare.
Results - India Rally:
APRC:
1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF) (3hrs, 39mins, 37.9secs)
2. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing) (03:51:10.3)
3. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (04:03:51.0)
INRC Overall:
1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8)
2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2)
3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9)
INRC 2000:
1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8)
2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2)
3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9)
FMSCI Cup:
1. Jacob KJ / Manoj Mohanan (02:01:14.8)
2. Minchu Ganapathy / Venu Ramesh Kumar (02:01:25.8)
3. Fabid Ahmer / Arjun Dheerendra (02:06:06.7)
IRC:
1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (01:48:59.2)
2. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheeraz Ahmed (02:01:12.3)
3. Byram Godrej / Ninad Mirajgaonkar (02:02:47.5)
Gypsy Star (non-championship):
1. Sanjay Agarwal /Smitha N (02:09:53.3)
2. Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Shetti (02:17:36.1)
3. Dheeraj KV / Ravi (02:39:03.7)